In meeting with WB vice president, Aurangzeb calls for enhanced technical support for debt management
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb called for “enhanced technical support, advanced analytical tools, and specialised training for Pakistan’s Debt Management Office” in his meeting with the World Bank Vice President Jorge Familiar Calderon in Washington on Monday, the Ministry of Finance said.
Aurangzeb arrived in Washington earlier on Monday to represent Pakistan in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group Spring Meetings 2026. He is expected to participate in more than 50 high-level gatherings, which will take place from April 13 to 18.
The finance ministry’s statement said Aurangzeb “congratulated Calderon on his recent appointment and underscored the critical role of the World Bank Group Treasury in supporting developing economies through enhanced access to capital markets, financial innovation, and advisory services in debt and risk management”.
He outlined Pakistan’s diversified financing strategy, highlighting the use of instruments such as Sukuk and environmental, social, and governance (ESG)-linked financing, as well as efforts to tap non-traditional markets, the statement said.
“He also emphasised ongoing initiatives to deepen the domestic bond market as part of broader efforts to strengthen Pakistan’s financial architecture.”
The statement said that the finance minister “stressed the importance of knowledge exchange and capacity building,” and called for “enhanced technical support, advanced analytical tools, and specialised training for Pakistan’s Debt Management Office to strengthen long-term financial resilience”.
Aurangzeb further stated that the adviser of the Ministry of Finance’s Debt Management Office would serve as the focal person for coordinating collaborative programmes with the World Bank Group.
In a separate meeting with International Finance Corporation (IFC) Managing Director Makhtar Diop, Aurnagzeb requested IFC’s support in “developing Pakistan’s capital markets, drawing on successful models from comparable economies”.
The finance minister highlighted the economic impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and noted that the government of Pakistan was closely monitoring the evolving situation and responding in a timely and effective manner, the statement said.
It added that the finance minister appreciated the IFC’s continued support to Pakistan, particularly its role in mobilising local currency financing.
“He underscored the importance of further strengthening IFC’s engagement to boost private sector investment, enhance productivity, and promote job creation in the country.
“Aurangzeb requested IFC’s support in developing Pakistan’s capital markets, drawing on successful models from comparable economies,” the statement said.
He also acknowledged IFC’s contribution to trade finance and emphasised its critical importance in the current economic environment, it added.
The finance minister highlighted the need for closer collaboration between IFC and the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Task Force on Agriculture to support growth and innovation in the sector, it stated.
“He further appreciated IFC’s evolving capital mobilisation strategy, particularly its transition from a traditional balance sheet approach to an originate-and-distribute model, aimed at leveraging private capital at scale.”
The meeting reaffirmed the strong partnership between Pakistan and IFC and underscored the shared commitment to promoting sustainable economic growth through private sector development, the statement concluded.
Separately, the finance minister highlighted the importance of adopting a coordinated federal and provincial approach to “effectively address” Pakistan’s demographic challenges in his meeting with World Bank Managing Director (Operations) Anna Bjerde.
Aurangzeb appreciated the World Bank Group’s longstanding support for Pakistan’s reform and development agenda, a finance ministry statement said.
“The two sides discussed Pakistan’s economic outlook, including the management of first and second-order effects arising from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East,” it added.
It said that both sides “agreed on the importance of strengthening social protection measures to cushion the impact of external shocks on vulnerable segments of the population”.
The meeting also reviewed progress under the Country Partnership Framework (CPF), the statement said.
“While acknowledging meaningful progress in several priority areas, both sides emphasised the need for sustained efforts to fully achieve the framework’s objectives.”
The finance minister highlighted the “importance of adopting a coordinated federal and provincial approach to effectively address Pakistan’s demographic challenges,” requesting the World Bank Group to support the development of a comprehensive master plan, the statement concluded.
